Houston Criminal Defense Attorney

Were you recently arrested and charged with a criminal offense in Texas? Do you need to seal or expunge your criminal record to avoid damaging background checks?

If you or your family member is facing a criminal charge, it’s critical to hire an experienced attorney to protect your freedom. At the Westbrook Law Firm, our dedicated legal team can guide you through the Texas criminal justice system and aggressively defend you against the State’s allegations.

Based in Houston, Texas, the Westbrook Law Firm defends individuals charged with a range of misdemeanor and felony crimes. We know that good people sometimes find themselves in bad situations and that you’re going through a very stressful time in your life. You don’t have to carry that legal burden by yourself. We are here to represent you. We have helped a number of individuals in similar situations.

If you want a Houston criminal defense attorney who will fight hard for your legal rights, contact attorney Nicholas Westbrook today. The initial consultation is confidential.

Do You Need a Criminal Defense Lawyer?

If you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony in Texas, you should take the matter seriously. A conviction could have devastating and long-lasting effects on your life and ability to gain employment. Depending on the offense, a conviction could cost you thousands of dollars and lead to jail or prison time.

A criminal offense is considered a wrong against the state of Texas, and the prosecutor represents the state of Texas. The prosecutor cannot provide you with guidance about your best legal options, even if you are only charged with a minor offense or a first time offense. If you try to represent yourself, you will be up against experienced prosecutors who know the law and court procedures. You need a criminal defense attorney who also knows the law and court procedures and can defend you to the fullest extent of the law.

How The Westbrook Law Firm Helps Our Clients

Choosing the right criminal defense attorney to guide you through the criminal justice system can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.

Attorney Nicholas Westbrook and the Westbrook Law Firm provide aggressive legal representation to citizens charged with criminal offenses in Texas. With over 12 years of legal experience in Texas, we can help you during this difficult time.

We will analyze the criminal charges against you, conduct an independent investigation to gather evidence, interview witnesses and develop a sound defense strategy to rebut and defeat the State’s charges. We will explain the legal process in understandable terms and keep you informed during every stage of the case. We place a premium on being accessible to clients throughout the process. We are available to meet with you before or after work and on Saturday.

We represent our clients in all court proceedings and try to negotiate with prosecutors to resolve the charges with the least possible disruption to your life. We can recommend treatment and counseling programs and other alternative sentencing arrangements that may be acceptable to the prosecutor and the court to keep you from having to serve an active sentence in jail or prison.

We will explain to you what is likely to happen if your case proceeds to trial, based on our years of experience of handling similar criminal cases. That perspective is extremely important to your case. It can help you make an informed decision about whether to accept the State’s plea offer or proceed to trial with a jury of your peers.

If we are unable to work out an acceptable plea agreement or obtain a dismissal, we will proceed with a jury trial and defend you to fullest extent of the law.

What You Should Do if You Are Arrested

If you’re detained by police, you should ask if you’re under arrest or if you’re free to leave. If you’re under arrest, the police office should inform you of the charge or charges against you and further advise you of your right to remain silent. The right not to incriminate yourself is an important right of any individual facing a criminal charge and you should take advantage of it. Do not agree to answer police questions without an attorney present.

If you’re arrested, you should be polite but firm that you do not wish to make any statement without your attorney present. Do not attempt to explain what happened. Remember that anything you say could be used against you.

If you are a suspect or have been charged with a criminal offense, the police are not on your side. They will not drop the charges against you, regardless of what you say. It is far more likely that they will use any well-intended statements that you make to build their case against you. If you’ve been charged with a criminal offense, you are caught up in the Texas criminal justice system and it’s imperative to hire an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.

If you are arrested, the police will take you before a magistrate who will set a bond for your appearance in court. If you post the bond, you will be released and be free until the date of the arraignment before a judge. As soon as possible, you should contact a Houston criminal defense attorney or have a family member call if you are unable to do so.

The Process of Sealing or Expunging Records in Texas

There are several reasons to have your criminal record sealed or expunged to help you avoid problems in the future.

The Westbrook Law Firm has a detailed knowledge of the laws governing nondisclosures and expunctions in Texas. If you have a criminal record, please contact our firm and we can run a search to determine if you’re eligible for a nondisclosure or expunction of the record.

If you were charged with an offense and successfully completed deferred adjudication probation, you may have the right to seal the record through a nondisclosure petition. In most cases, if you were convicted of the offense, you cannot seal the record (although the laws recently changed for some first-time offenses that may be sealed even with a conviction).

Texas law also permits arrests and charges to be expunged from your criminal record in certain circumstances, but obtaining an expunction is a complicated process. You can seek an expunction if you were acquitted of a criminal offense, if the court dismissed the charge or quashed the indictment against you, and/or if you were arrested but never formally charged.

Each case has specific factors that affect eligibility, so it’s important to have a knowledgeable Houston criminal defense lawyer review your individual record and explain your legal options to clear your record.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense in Texas, please call our dedicated legal team today at 281-730-8189 or use our online contact form to reach a criminal defense attorney. We will investigate the charges against you, answer your questions and explain your legal options.

The information on this Bankruptcy website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.